tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1770403262621101408.post3601329615831070807..comments2008-12-20T16:32:28.439-08:00Life is Beutifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13498665340132739509noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1770403262621101408.post-80787828256383501162008-12-20T16:32:00.000-08:002008-12-20T16:32:00.000-08:00please post more commentsClub Clairahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13498665340132739509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1770403262621101408.post-82004846829819008002008-12-18T14:44:00.000-08:002008-12-18T14:44:00.000-08:00When I lived in Midland and your daddy, uncle Mark and uncle Chris were kids, we used to drive down to Indiana to visit their grandparents for Christmas. Sometimes we traveled on the holiday when nothing was open, not even McDonalds. We could only eat at Don's Truckstop. We always laughed at their "hungry trucker's special" which included 4 eggs, 4 pancakes, sausage, bacon and a pot of coffee. We took our dogs with us and knew that the grandmas probably weren't happy since they didn't like dogs in their houses. But they didn't complain because they were happy that we were there! <BR/><BR/>Love, Grandpa JimGrndpaJimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12230651998675553687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1770403262621101408.post-86611776092068168752008-12-16T16:22:00.000-08:002008-12-16T16:22:00.000-08:00What is a tree?<BR/>Well, the Christmas tree itself isn’t very Christian. It has however become a mainstay in today’s Christian households, along with the celebration of Christ’s birth.<BR/>I do love Christmas, and I do love decorating the tree. It has so many memories for me. As a kid growing up in Midwestern lower middle class, America, this was a big deal. The tree my parents, bought, chopped, or assembled, depending on the year, was filled with mostly handmade ornaments. It was always filled with bright lights, and seemed very large. To this day, I remember laying on our red living room carpet, looking up into the tree, and dreaming of the holiday to come. <BR/>Expectation of Christmas is almost better then the holiday itself. In these complicated times we live in, with peoples expectations of doom and gloom, let us try to remember holidays of past, and the expectation of the Christ child that gives us eternal hope and peace.<BR/>IT IS A WONDERFUL LIFE………………<BR/><BR/>God is good, life is hard, I am blessed,<BR/>Carriecarriex3http://www.blogger.com/profile/13859472078114562556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1770403262621101408.post-7245278299763172692008-12-14T11:52:00.000-08:002008-12-14T11:52:00.000-08:00I am sharing a story from a Christmas party at our house December 1. We hosted the Christmas party for the Penney side of the family and we chose to host it early to include Mom &amp; Dad who were leaving for Florida on 12/4. There were 13 of us in attendance which represents less than half as much of the family lives out of state. If all were here it would be over 30. Oh how I wish all could have been here. That would be great fun. We had lots of great food and played a game called Chinese Auction. That game starts with all participants bringing a fun/good gift and then choosing #s and selecting gifts and taking ones from others etc. We had a lot of laughs and fun with the silly gifts. My Mom and Dad enjoyed it very much. They have not been in Michigan for over 12 years for a Christmas party/celebration which made it very special. There was snowfall outside while the party was going and that added to the &quot;Michigan Christmas&quot; ambience. <BR/><BR/>Blessings and hope to all for a meaningful Christ centered Christmas.<BR/><BR/>Love, Grammygrammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11596652033675395773noreply@blogger.com